Precise junction placement in vertical semiconductor devices using etch stop layers

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor device is provided that includes a first of a source region and a drain region comprised of a first semiconductor material, wherein an etch stop layer of a second semiconductor material present within the first of the source region and the drain region. A channel semiconductor material is present atop the first of the source region and the drain region. A second of the source and the drain region is present atop the channel semiconductor material. The semiconductor device may be a vertically orientated fin field effect transistor or a vertically orientated tunnel field effect transistor.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to methods of forming semiconductordevices, and more particularly to a method of forming junctions invertical semiconductor devices.

Description of the Related Art

The dimensions of semiconductor field effect transistors (FETs) havebeen steadily shrinking, as scaling to smaller dimensions leads tocontinuing device performance improvements. Planar FET devices typicallyhave a conducting gate electrode positioned above a semiconductingchannel, and electrically isolated from the channel by a thin layer ofgate oxide. Current through the channel is controlled by applyingvoltage to the conducting gate. With conventional planar FET scalingreaching fundamental limits, the semiconductor industry is looking atmore unconventional geometries that will facilitate continued deviceperformance improvements. One such class of device is a fin field effecttransistor (finFET).

SUMMARY

A method of fabricating a vertical fin field effect transistor (FinFET)that introduces an etch stop layer into at least one of a source regionand a drain region, wherein in some embodiments the etch stop layer maybe used to control the junction alignment in the device. In oneembodiment, the method may include forming a first of a source or drainregion having a majority composition of a first semiconductor material,wherein a semiconductor etch stop layer of a second semiconductormaterial having a different etch selectively than the firstsemiconductor material is present within said first of the source regionor drain region. A material stack including a least a channelsemiconductor material is formed atop the first of the source or drainregion of the device. The material stack is etched to provide a channelregion selectively to the semiconductor etch stop layer, wherein a depthof the semiconductor etch stop layer dictates overlap between said firstof the source or drain region and the channel region of the device. Agate structures is formed on the channel region.

A method of fabricating a vertical tunnel field effect transistor(tunnel FET) that introduces an etch stop layer into at least one of asource region and a drain region, wherein in some embodiments the etchstop layer may be used to control the junction alignment in the device.In one embodiment, the method may include forming a first of a source ordrain region having a majority composition of a first semiconductormaterial and a first conductivity type, wherein a semiconductor etchstop layer of a second semiconductor material having a different etchselectively than the first semiconductor material is present within saidfirst of the source region or drain region. A material stack includingat least a channel semiconductor material is formed atop the first ofthe source or drain region of the device. The material stack is etchedto provide a channel region selectively to the semiconductor etch stoplayer, wherein a depth of the semiconductor etch stop layer dictatesoverlap between said first of the source or drain region and the channelregion of the device. A second of the source or the drain region havinga second conductivity type is positioned on the channel region oppositethe first of the source or the drain region.

In another aspect, a semiconductor device is provided that includes afirst of a source region and a drain region comprised of a firstsemiconductor material, and an etch stop layer of a second semiconductormaterial present within the first of the source region and the drainregion. A channel semiconductor material is present atop the first ofthe source region and the drain region, and a second of the source andthe drain region is present atop the channel semiconductor material. Thesemiconductor device may be a vertically orientated fin field effecttransistor or a vertically orientated tunnel field effect transistor.

These and other features and advantages will become apparent from thefollowing detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof,which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will provide details in the following description ofpreferred embodiments with reference to the following figures wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of two device material stacksformed overlying a semiconductor substrate that can be employed in oneembodiment of the present disclosure, wherein a source/drain region ofthe device material stacks includes a semiconductor etch stop layerpresent therein, in accordance with one embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view depicting forming a block maskover a second of the two device material stacks and etching the first ofthe two device material stacks to form at least the channel region of avertically orientated semiconductor device.

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view depicting one embodiment ofetching the source/drain region including the semiconductor etch stoplayer in the first material stack, wherien the etch is selective to thesemiconductor etch stop layer and the depth of the semiconductor etchstop layer dictates junction alignment for the semiconductor deviceformed from the first material stack.

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view depicting one embodiment offorming a block mask over the first material stack and etching thesecond of the two device material stacks to form a junction including asource region, channel region and drain region, wherein the depth of thesemiconductor etch stop layer in the second material stack dictatesjunction alignment for the semiconductor device formed from the secondmaterial stack.

FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view depicting forming a first gatesidewall spacer and a gate structure, in accordance with one embodimentof the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view depicting forming a second gatesidewall spacer and an interlevel dielectric layer, in accordance withone embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view depicting forming interconnect tothe semiconductor devices formed from the first and second materialstacks, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Detailed embodiments of the claimed structures and methods are disclosedherein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodimentsare merely illustrative of the claimed structures and methods that maybe embodied in various forms. In addition, each of the examples given inconnection with the various embodiments is intended to be illustrative,and not restrictive. Further, the figures are not necessarily to scale,some features may be exaggerated to show details of particularcomponents. Therefore, specific structural and functional detailsdisclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as arepresentative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variouslyemploy the methods and structures of the present disclosure. Forpurposes of the description hereinafter, the terms “upper”, “lower”,“right”, “left”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, andderivatives thereof shall relate to the embodiments of the disclosure,as it is oriented in the drawing figures. The terms “positioned on”means that a first element, such as a first structure, is present on asecond element, such as a second structure, wherein interveningelements, such as an interface structure, e.g. interface layer, may bepresent between the first element and the second element. The term“direct contact” means that a first element, such as a first structure,and a second element, such as a second structure, are connected withoutany intermediary conducting, insulating or semiconductor layers at theinterface of the two elements.

In some embodiments, the methods and structures disclosed herein form aFinFET. A field effect transistor (FET) is a semiconductor device inwhich output current, i.e., source-drain current, is controlled by thevoltage applied to a gate structure to the semiconductor device. A fieldeffect transistor has three terminals, i.e., gate structure, sourceregion and drain region. As used herein, a “fin structure” refers to asemiconductor material, which is employed as the body of a semiconductordevice, in which the gate structure is positioned around the finstructure such that charge flows down the channel of the fin structure AfinFET is a semiconductor device that positions the channel region ofthe semiconductor device in a fin structure. The source and drainregions of the fin structure are the portions of the fin structure thatare on opposing sides of the channel region of the fin structure.

A finFET semiconductor device has the drain, fin channel, and sourcedevice components arranged perpendicular to the plane of the substratesurface, which is referred to as a vertical stack (also referred to asvertical FinFET). In some embodiments, the methods and structuresdisclosed herein apply to vertical FinFETs, which are also referred toas a vertically stacked FinFET. A vertically stacked finFET can have alonger gate length (i.e., height) and larger dielectric spacer than ahorizontal (i.e., having the drain, fin channel, and source devicecomponents arranged parallel with the plane of the substrate surface)finFET having comparable contact gate pitch.

In some embodiments, the methods and structures disclosed herein canprovide a method for controlling the junction placement in verticalfield effect transistor (VFET) and vertical tunnel junctions. In someembodiments, the methods and structures disclosed herein provide forprecise placement of the junction by employing an etch stop layer of asemiconductor material that is positioned in an n-type or p-type dopedregion of the device, e.g., p-type or n-type source and/or drain region.

In typical vertical MOSFET (VFET) device processing, the source anddrain junctions are typically not self-aligned to the gate-electrode byself-aligned spacers as in the case of lateral geometries. Source-sidejunction placement can be determined by the vertical fin etch, which candepend on fin-pitch walking, and the remaining spacer thicknessfollowing the spacer forming method sequence that can include spacerdeposition and etch processes. It has been determined that in view ofthe above that process variability in junction overlap could introduce asignificant device performance variability. For example, if the junctionis too much underlapped, source-side resistance (Rs) will become toohigh (Reff degrade). For example, if the junction is too muchoverlapped, parasitic capacitance (Coy) will become too high (Ceffdegrade). As will be described in further detail below, it has beendetermined that in some embodiments the above deficiencies in a verticalfield effect transistor (VFET) flow can be overcome by the applicationof a thin etch-stop layer inside the source region of the device. Insome embodiments, the thin etch-stop layer may be formed during theactive region epitaxial growth, and can include semiconductor materialsuch that the vertical channel etch can be naturally stopped at thatlayer facilitating the precise control of the gate electrode to thesource-junction alignment.

Similar difficulties have been detected in tunnel semiconductor devices,e.g., vertically orientated tunnel semiconductor devices. The term“tunnel” when describing semiconductor devices means that the source anddrains of the device have an opposite conductivity type, and the devicecurrent is controlled by quantum mechanical tunneling of electrons atthe source-channel junction. For example, the source region of thetunnel device is doped to an n-type conductivity, the drain region ofthe tunnel device is doped to a p-type conductivity; or if the sourceregion of the tunnel device is doped to a p-type conductivity, the drainregion of the tunnel device is doped to an n-type conductivity. Theopposite conductivity types for the source and drain regions may bereferred to as asymmetrical devices. In a tunnel field effecttransistors (tunnel FET), on-current sensitively depends on gate andsource-channel junction alignment. If the junction is too underlapped,gate-field cannot modulate the tunneling junction located at thesource-channel junction. If the junction is too overlapped, gate-fieldcan deplete the source, and lead to ion degradation.

As will be described in further detail below, it has been determinedthat in some embodiments, the above deficiencies in a vertical tunnelFET (VFET) devices can be overcome by a process flow that introduces athin etch-stop layer inside the source semiconductor material, such thatthe vertical channel etch can be naturally stopped at that layer. Thethin etch-stop layer may be formed during the active region epitaxialgrowth for the source region and/or drain region of the vertical tunnelFET, which facilitates the precise control of the gate electrode to thesource-to-channel junction alignment.

FIG. 1 depicts one embodiment of two device material stacks 10, 15formed overlying a semiconductor substrate 5 that can be employed in oneembodiment of the present disclosure. The material stacks depicted inFIG. 1 can be employed to provide a semiconductor device, e.g., verticalFinFET or vertical tunnel FET, in which at least one of the source anddrain regions of the device includes a semiconductor etch stop layer 8a, 8 b present therein. In some embodiments, the material stacks 10, 15include multiple semiconductor material layers that are doped to providedifferent conductivity type devices. For example, the first materialstack 10 may be processed to provide n-type vertical FinFETs, i.e.,FinFETs with n-type source and drain regions, and the second materialstack 15 may be processed to provide p-type vertical FinFETs, i.e.,FinFETs with p-type source and drain regions. In the embodiments, inwhich the first and second material stacks 10 are processed to providevertical tunnel field effect transistors; the first material stack 10may include a p-type source region and a n-type drain region; and thesecond material stack 15 may include an n-type source region and ap-type drain region.

In some embodiments, each material stack 10, 15 may include a strainrelaxed buffer layer 6 a, 6 b, a material layer for a source region 7a′, 7 a″, 7 n′, 7 b″, a semiconductor etch stop layer 8 a, 8 b, amaterial layer for a channel region 9 a, 9 b, and a material layer for adrain region 11 a, 11 b.

In some embodiments, in which the first material stack 10 is used forforming an n-type vertical FinFET, the first material stack 10 may becomposed of a material layer for the source region 7 a′, 7 a″ that iscomposed of indium gallium arsenic (InGaAs) that is n-type doped; thesemiconductor etch stop layer 8 a is composed of indium phosphide (InP);the material layer for the channel region 9 a is composed of intrinsic,i.e., not externally doped, or lightly p-type doped indium galliumarsenic (InGaAs); and the material layer for the drain region 11 a maybe composed of indium gallium arsenic (InGaAs) that is n-type doped. Onthe same supporting substrate 5 that the n-type vertical FinFET isformed, in which the second material stack 15 is used for forming ap-type vertical FinFET, the second material stack 15 may be composed ofa material layer for the source region 7 b′, 7 b″ that is composed ofsilicon germanium (SiGe) that is p-type doped; the semiconductor etchstop layer 8 b is composed of silicon (Si); the material layer for thechannel region 9 b is composed of intrinsic, i.e., not externally doped,or lightly n-type doped silicon germanium (SiGe); and the material layerfor the drain region 11 b may be composed of silicon germanium (SiGe)that is p-type doped.

In another embodiment, in which the first material stack 10 is used forforming a vertical tunnel FET, the first material stack 10 may becomposed of a material layer for the source region 7 a′, 7 a″ that iscomposed of gallium antimonide (GaSb) that is p-type doped; thesemiconductor etch stop layer 8 a is composed of indium phosphide (InP);the material layer for the channel region 9 a is composed of intrinsic,i.e., not externally doped, or lightly p-type doped indium arsenic(InAs); and the material layer for the drain region 11 a may be composedof indium arsenic (InAs) that is n-type doped. On the same supportingsubstrate 5, in which the second material stack 15 is used for formingan opposite conductivity vertical tunnel FET as the device formed usingthe first material stack 10, the second material stack 15 may becomposed of a material layer for the source region 7 b′, 7 b″ that iscomposed of indium arsenic (InAs) that is n-type doped; thesemiconductor etch stop layer 8 b is composed of indium phosphide (InP);the material layer for the channel region 9 b is composed of intrinsic,i.e., not externally doped, or lightly n-type doped gallium antimonide(GaSb); and the material layer for the drain region 11 b may be composedof gallium antimonide (GaSb) that is p-type doped.

It is noted that the above examples for the first and second materialstacks 10, 15 for vertical FinFETs and vertical tunnel FETs are providedfor illustrative purposes only. It is not intended that the presentdisclosure be limited to only these examples. For example, othercompositions suitable for the different material layers for the firstand second material stacks 10, 15 have been provided below.

The first material stack 10 may be separated from the second materialstack 15 by an isolation region 12, e.g., an isolation region 12composed of an oxide, nitride or oxynitride dielectric composition. Insome embodiments, the first and second material stacks 10, 15 may beformed atop a supporting substrate 5. The supporting substrate 5 may becomposed of a semiconductor material. In some embodiments, thesemiconductor material of the supporting substrate 5 may be primarily(i.e., with doping) of a single element, for example, silicon (Si) orgermanium, (Ge), or the supporting substrate 5 may be a compound, forexample, GaAs, InP, SiC, or SiGe. In some embodiments, the supportingsubstrate 5 is composed of a type IV semiconductor material. In someembodiments, the supporting substrate 5 is composed of a type III-Vsemiconductor material. By “type IV semiconductor” it is meant that thesemiconductor material includes at least one element from Group IVA(i.e., Group 14) of the Periodic Table of Elements. Examples of type IVsemiconductor materials that are suitable for the supporting substrate 5include silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), silicon germanium (SiGe), silicondoped with carbon (Si:C), silicon germanium doped with carbon (SiGe:C)and a combination thereof. A compound semiconductor may be a III-Vsemiconductor material or a type II/VI semiconductor material. By “III-Vsemiconductor material” it is meant that the semiconductor materialincludes at least one element from Group IIIA (i.e., Group 13) of thePeriodic Table of Elements and at least one element from Group VA (i.e.,Group 15) of the Periodic Table of Elements. Examples of compoundsemiconductor materials that are suitable for the supporting substrate 5include at least one of aluminum antimonide (AlSb), aluminum arsenide(AlAs), aluminum nitride (AlN), aluminum phosphide (AlP), galliumarsenide (GaAs), gallium phosphide (GaP), indium antimonide (InSb),indium arsenic (InAs), indium nitride (InN), indium phosphide (InP),aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs), indium gallium phosphide (InGaP),aluminum indium arsenic (AlInAs), aluminum indium antimonide (AlInSb),gallium arsenide nitride (GaAsN), gallium arsenide antimonide (GaAsSb),aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN), aluminum gallium phosphide (AlGaP),indium gallium nitride (InGaN), indium arsenide antimonide (InAsSb),indium gallium antimonide (InGaSb), aluminum gallium indium phosphide(AlGaInP), aluminum gallium arsenide phosphide (AlGaAsP), indium galliumarsenide phosphide (InGaAsP), indium arsenide antimonide phosphide(InArSbP), aluminum indium arsenide phosphide (AlInAsP), aluminumgallium arsenide nitride (AlGaAsN), indium gallium arsenide nitride(InGaAsN), indium aluminum arsenide nitride (InAlAsN), gallium arsenideantimonide nitride (GaAsSbN), gallium indium nitride arsenide aluminumantimonide (GaInNAsSb), gallium indium arsenide antimonide phosphide(GaInAsSbP), and combinations thereof.

The supporting substrate 5 may also have multiple material layers, forexample, a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate (SeOI), asilicon-on-insulator substrate (SOI), germanium-on-insulator substrate(GeOI), or silicon-germanium-on-insulator substrate (SGOI). In anembodiment, the supporting substrate 5 is a single crystal siliconwafer.

The first and second material stacks 10, 15 may then be formed atop thesupporting substrate 5 using deposition processes, such as epitaxialdeposition. The terms “epitaxial growth and/or deposition” means thegrowth of a semiconductor material on a deposition surface of asemiconductor material, in which the semiconductor material being grownhas substantially the same crystalline characteristics as thesemiconductor material of the deposition surface. The term “epitaxialsemiconductor material” denotes a material that is formed usingepitaxial growth. In some embodiments, when the chemical reactants arecontrolled and the system parameters set correctly, the depositing atomsarrive at the deposition surface with sufficient energy to move aroundon the surface and orient themselves to the crystal arrangement of theatoms of the deposition surface. Thus, in some examples, an epitaxialfilm deposited on a {100} crystal surface will take on a {100}orientation. The epitaxial deposition process may employ a chemicalvapor deposition apparatus, e.g., plasma enhanced chemical vapordeposition (PECVD), metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD).Block masks may be used to independently process the regions of thesupporting substrate, in which the first and second material stacks 10,15 are formed so that different compositions and different conductivitytype dopants may be introduced to the first and second material stacks10, 15. The block masks may include photoresist masks.

Referring to FIG. 1, a strain relaxed buffer layer 6 a, 6 b may bepresent directly on the supporting substrate 5 in each of the firstmaterial stack 10 and the second material stack 15. The term “relaxed”denotes a semiconductor material layer that does not have an internalstrain, in which the lattice dimension in the direction parallel to thechannel plane (x-direction), perpendicular to the channel plane(y-direction) and out of the channel plane (z-direction) are the same.In some embodiments, a strain relaxed buffer (SRB) layer 6 a, 6 b thatis substantially relaxed has a strain no greater than about +/−0.1 GPatensile or compressive. In one example, the strain relaxed buffer (SRB)layer 6 a, 6 b may be completely relaxed.

In one embodiment, the strain relaxed buffer (SRB) layer 6 a, 6 b may becomposed of one or multiple layers of type IV or type III-Vsemiconductor material depending upon the composition of the supportingsubstrate and the later formed material layers for the source region.The compositions of the different material layer in the strain relaxedbuffer (SRB) layer 6 a, 6 b may be selected in order to relax strain.For example, the compositions of multiple layers in the strained relaxedbuffer (SRB) layer may be selected to have gradually reducing orgradually increasing lattice dimensions to between the supportingsubstrate 5 and the subsequently formed material layers for the sourceregions 7 a, 7 b of the device being provided by the first and secondmaterial stacks 10, 15. The thickness for the material layers within thedifferent material layers of the strain relaxed buffer layer may also beselected to relax strain. For example, the thickness of the SRB layer 6a, 6 b may be on the order of a micron.

In some embodiments, the relaxed semiconductor layer may be composed oftype III-V materials having a lattice dimension between the latticedimension of silicon (Si), as used in the supporting substrate 5, andthe lattice dimension of gallium antimonide (GaSb), as used in thematerial layer for the source region 7 a, 7 b of the devices beingprovided by the first and second material stacks 10, 15. In someembodiments, the relaxed semiconductor layer may be composed of silicongermanium (SiGe) having a low germanium content (Ge). For example, therelaxed semiconductor layer 6 a, 6 b may be composed of silicongermanium (SiGe), in which the germanium (Ge) content is 25% or less, ormay be composed of a multilayered structure in which the upper surfaceof the multilayered structure has a germanium (Ge) content of 25% orless. In another example, the strain relaxed buffer (SRB) layer 10 maybe composed of multilayers of silicon (Si), silicon germanium (SiGe),and silicon germanium doped with carbon (SiGe:C). It is noted that theabove examples are provided for illustrative purposes only, and are notintended to limit the present disclosure, as any semiconductor materialmay be suitable for the strain relaxed buffer (SRB) layer 6 a, 6 b. Insome embodiments, the strain relaxed buffer (SRB) layer 6 a, 6 b may beformed directly on the supporting substrate 5 using a depositionprocess, such as epitaxial deposition.

Still referring to FIG. 1, following formation of the strain relaxedbuffer layer 6 a, 6 b, the material layer for the source region of thesemiconductor device, e.g., vertical FinFET and/or vertical tunnel FET,may be deposited. More specifically, the first portion of the materiallayer for the source region 7 a′, 7 b′ may be epitaxially formed on thestrain relaxed buffer (SRB) layer 6 a, 6 b. The first portion of thematerial layer 7 a′, 7 b′ may be composed of a type IV semiconductormaterial or a type III-V semiconductor material. Any of theaforementioned type III-V and type IV semiconductor materials that havebeen described for the supporting substrate are also suitable for thesource region 7 a′, 7 b′.

Epitaxial growth processed can be used for growing the first portion ofthe material layer for the source region 7 a′, 7 b′ directly on thestrain relaxed buffer layer 6 a, 6 b. A number of different sources maybe used for the deposition of epitaxial type III-V semiconductormaterial. In some embodiments, the sources for epitaxial growth of typeIII-V semiconductor material include solid sources containing In, Ga, N,P elements and combinations thereof and/or a gas precursor selected fromthe group consisting of trimethylgallium (TMG), trimethylindium (TMI),tertiary-butylphosphine (TBP), phosphine (PH₃), ammonia (NH₃), andcombinations thereof. Silicon gas source for epitaxial deposition may beselected from the group consisting of hexachlorodisilane (Si₂Cl₆),tetrachlorosilane (SiCl₄), dichlorosilane (Cl₂SiH₂), trichlorosilane(Cl₃SiH), methylsilane ((CH₃)SiH₃), dimethylsilane ((CH₃)₂SiH₂),ethylsilane ((CH₃CH₂)SiH₃), methyldisilane ((CH₃)Si₂H₅),dimethyldisilane ((CH₃)₂Si₂H₄), hexamethyldisilane ((CH₃)₆Si₂) andcombinations thereof. Germanium gas source for epitaxial deposition maybe selected from the group consisting of germane (GeH₄), digermane(Ge₂H₆), halogermane, dichlorogermane, trichlorogermane,tetrachlorogermane and combinations thereof.

The first portion of the material layer for the source region 7 a′, 7 b′may be in-situ doped. For example, the first portion of the materiallayer for the source region 7 a′, 7 b′ may be doped with an n-type orp-type dopant. As used herein, “p-type” refers to the addition ofimpurities to an intrinsic semiconductor that creates deficiencies ofvalence electrons. As used herein, “n-type” refers to the addition ofimpurities that contributes free electrons to an intrinsicsemiconductor. In some embodiments, the dopant that dictates theconductivity type of the first portion of the material layer for thesource region 7 a′, 7 b′ is introduced in-situ. By “in-situ” it is meantthat the dopant that dictates the conductivity type of the first portionof the material layer for the source region 7 a′, 7 b′ is introducedduring the process step, e.g., epitaxial deposition. Alternatively, thedopant that provides the conductivity type of the first portion of thematerial layer for the source region 7 a′, 7 b′ is introduced by ionimplantation. In a type IV semiconductor material, such as silicon andgermanium, examples of p-type dopants, i.e., impurities, include but arenot limited to: boron, aluminum, gallium and indium. In a type IVsemiconductor material, such as silicon or germanium, examples of n-typedopants, i.e., impurities, include but are not limited to antimony,arsenic and phosphorous. In type III-V semiconductor materials, theeffect of the dopant atom, i.e., whether it is a p-type or n-typedopant, depends occupied by the site occupied by the dopant atom on thelattice of the base material. In a III-V semiconductor, atoms from groupII act as acceptors, i.e., p-type, when occupying the site of a groupIII atom, while atoms in group VI act as donors, i.e., n-type, when theyreplace atoms from group V. Dopant atoms from group IV, such a silicon(Si), have the property that they can act as acceptors or donordepending on whether they occupy the site of group III or group V atomsrespectively. The dopant for the epitaxial semiconductor material thatdictates the conductivity type of the source and drain regions 40 a, 40b, 45 a, 45 b is typically present in a concentration ranging from 1E¹⁷atoms/cm³ to 5E²⁰ atoms/cm³.

The thickness of the first portion of the material layer for the sourceregion 7 a′, 7 b′, as well as the thickness of the later formed secondportion of the material layer for the source region 7 a″, 7 b″ dictatesthe positioning of the semiconductor etch stop layer 8 a, 8 b, and theamount of overlap that the source region will have with the gatestructure. This is referred to as the junction overlap, i.e., how muchthe extension portion of the source region extends past the innersidewall of the gate sidewall spacer into the channel region that thegate structure is overlying. In vertical FinFET devices, if the junctionis too underlapped, i.e., the extension of the source region does notextend far enough in the direction of the channel, the source-sideresistance (Rs) will become too high (Reff degrade). In vertical FinFETdevices, if the junction is too much overlapped, i.e., the extension ofthe source region extends too far in the direction of the channel,parasitic capacitance (Cov) will become too high (Ceff degrade). In atunnel field effect transistors (tunnel FET), on-current sensitivelydepends on gate and source-channel junction alignment. If the junctionis too underlapped, gate-field cannot modulate the tunneling junction.If the junction is too overlapped, gate-field can deplete the source,and lead to ion degradation. In some embodiments, the thickness of thefirst portion of the material layer for the source region 7 a′, 7 b′ mayrange from 5 nm to 100 nm. In other embodiments, the thickness of thefirst portion of the material layer for the source region 7 a′, 7 b′ mayrange from 15 nm to 25 nm.

Following the formation of the first portion of the material layer forthe source region 7 a′, 7 b′, the semiconductor etch stop layer 8 a, 8 bmay be formed. In some embodiments, the semiconductor etch stop layer 8a, 8 b is epitaxially grown directly on the upper surface of the firstportion of the material layer for the source region 7 a′, 7 b′. Thecomposition of the semiconductor etch stop layer 8 a, 8 b is selected sothat the subsequently formed second portion of the material layer forthe source region 7 a″, 7 b″ can be etched selectively to thesemiconductor etch stop layer 8 a, 8 b. The term “selective” as used todescribe a material removal process denotes that the rate of materialremoval for a first material is greater than the rate of removal for atleast another material of the structure to which the material removalprocess is being applied. For example, the subsequently formed secondportion of the material layer for the source region 7 a″, 7 b″ can beetched selectively to the semiconductor etch stop layer 8 a, 8 b at arate greater than 50:1, e.g., about 100:1. For example, when the sourceregion is composed of a III-V semiconductor material, such as galliumantimony (GaSb) or indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), the etch stop layer8 a, 8 b may be composed of an indium and phosphorus alloy, such asindium phosphide (InP). In other examples, when the source region iscomposed of a type IV semiconductor material, such as silicon germanium(SiGe), the etch stop layer 8 a, 8 b may be composed of a silicon (Si).

The semiconductor etch stop layer 8 a, 8 b may be formed using epitaxialdeposition similar to the epitaxial deposition process described abovefor forming the first portion of the material layer for the sourceregion 7 a′, 7 b′. Therefore, the above description of the epitaxialdeposition process for forming the first portion of the material layerfor the source region 7 a′, 7 b′ is suitable for describing forming thesemiconductor etch stop layer 8 a, 8 b. The thickness of thesemiconductor etch stop layer 8 a, 8 b is selected to ensure that enoughmaterial is present to stop the etch process that etches the secondportion of the material layer for the source region 7 a″, 7 b″ frometching into the first portion of the material layer for the sourceregion 7 a′, 7 b′. In some embodiments, the thickness of thesemiconductor etch stop layer 8 a, 8 b may range from 2 nm to 30 nm. Inother embodiments, the thickness of the semiconductor etch stop layer 8a, 8 b may range from 2 nm to 5 nm. The semiconductor etch stop layer 8a, 8 b may have a conductivity type that is equal to the first portionof the material layer for the source region 7 a′, 7 b′. For example, ifthe first portion of the material layer for the source region 7 a′, 7 b′is doped to an n-type conductivity, the semiconductor etch stop layer 8a, 8 b may also be doped to an n-type conductivity, e.g., by in situdoping and/or ion implantation. In other embodiments, the semiconductoretch stop layer 8 a, 8 b may be composed of an intrinsic semiconductormaterial, i.e., the semiconductor etch stop layer 8 a, 8 b is not insitu doped or doped by ion implantation with n-type or p-type dopantsextrinsic to the base composition.

Still referring to FIG. 1, forming the source region of the device maycontinue with forming the second portion of the material layer for thesource region 7 a″, 7 b″. The thickness of the second portion of thematerial layer for the source region 7 a″, 7 b″ may dictate the degreeof overlap of the source region with the subsequently formed gatestructure. The second portion of the material layer for the sourceregion 7 a″, 7 b″ may be epitaxially formed on the semiconductor etchstop layer 8 a, 8 b. The second portion of the material layer for thesource region 7 a″, 7 b″ may be composed of a type IV semiconductormaterial or a type III-V semiconductor material. The second portion ofthe material layer for the source region 7 a″, 7 b″ may have the samebase composition or different base composition as the first portion ofthe material layer for the source region 7 a′, 7 b′. For example, if thefirst portion of the material layer for the source region 7 a′, 7 b′ iscomposed of indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), the second portion of thesource region 7 a″, 7 b″ is composed of indium gallium arsenide(InGaAs). In another example, if the first portion of the material layerfor the source region 7 a′, 7 b′ is composed of gallium antimony (GaSb),the second portion of the source region 7 a″, 7 b″ is composed ofgallium antimony (GaSb). It is noted that other compositions may also besuitable for the second portion of the material layer for the sourceregion 7 a″, 7 b″. Any of the aforementioned type III-V and type IVsemiconductor materials that have been described for the supportingsubstrate are also suitable for the second portion of the material layerfor the source region 7 a″, 7 b″.

Epitaxial growth processed can be used for growing the second portion ofthe material layer for the source region 7 a″, 7 b″ directly on thesemiconductor etch stop layer 8 a, 8 b. The second portion of thematerial layer for the source region 7 a″, 7 b″ may be formed usingepitaxial deposition similar to the epitaxial deposition processdescribed above for forming the first portion of the material layer forthe source region 7 a′, 7 b′. Therefore, the above description of theepitaxial deposition process for forming the first portion of thematerial layer for the source region 7 a′, 7 b′ is suitable fordescribing forming the second portion of the material layer for thesource region 7 a″, 7 b″. The thickness of the semiconductor etch stoplayer 8 a, 8 b is the portion of the source region that dictates thepositioning of the junction with respect to the exterior sidewall of thesubsequently formed gate structure, and therefore dictates junctionoverlap. In vertical FinFET devices, if the junction is too underlapped,i.e., the extension of the source region does not extend far enough inthe direction of the channel, the source-side resistance (Rs) willbecome too high (Reff degrade); and if the junction is too muchoverlapped, i.e., the extension of the source region extends too far inthe direction of the channel, parasitic capacitance (Coy) will becometoo high (Ceff degrade). In a tunnel field effect transistors (tunnelFET), if the junction is too underlapped, gate-field cannot modulate thetunneling junction; and if the junction is too overlapped, gate-fieldcan deplete the source, and lead to ion degradation. In someembodiments, the thickness of the second portion of the material layerfor the source region 7 a″, 7 b″ may range from 5 nm to 30 nm. In otherembodiments, the thickness of the second portion of the material layerfor the source region 7 a″, 7 b″ may range from 5 nm to 10 nm.

Still referring to FIG. 1, following formation of the material layersfor the source region, the material layer for the channel region 9 a, 9b is formed. The material layer for the channel region 9 a, 9 b iscomposed of an intrinsic, i.e., not externally doped, semiconductormaterial. Or, it can be lightly doped with appropriate doping type. Thematerial layer for the channel region 9 a, 9 b may be composed of a typeIV semiconductor material, or a type III-V semiconductor material. Insome examples, the material layer for the channel region 9 a, 9 b iscomposed of intrinsic, i.e., not externally doped, gallium antimonide(GaSb) or indium gallium arsenic. It is noted that the above examplesare provided for illustrative purposes only, and that other type IV andtype III-V semiconductor materials are equally applicable. The materiallayer for the channel region 9 a, 9 b may be formed using epitaxialdeposition similar to the epitaxial deposition process described abovefor forming the first portion of the material layer for the sourceregion 7 a′, 7 b′. Therefore, the above description of the epitaxialdeposition process for forming the first portion of the material layerfor the source region 7 a′, 7 b′ is suitable for describing forming thematerial layer for the channel region 9 a, 9 b. The thickness of thematerial layer for the channel region 9 a, 9 b is selected to providethe length of the channel, i.e., the dimension separating the sourceregion from the drain region. In some embodiments, the thickness of thematerial layer for the channel region 9 a, 9 b may range from 5 nm to100 nm. In other embodiments, the thickness of the material layer forthe channel region 9 a, 9 b may range from 10 nm to 25 nm.

Following formation of the material layers for the channel region 9 a, 9b, the material layer for the drain region 11 a, 11 b is formed. Thematerial layer for the drain region 11 a, 11 b is composed of an n-typeor p-type semiconductor material, e.g., a type IV semiconductor materialor type III-V semiconductor material. The base composition of thematerial layer for the drain region 11 a, 11 b may be the same as thebase composition for the material layer of the channel region 9 a, 9 b.For example, when the channel region 9 a, 9 b is composed of indiumarsenic (InAs), the material layer for the drain region 11 a, 11 b mayalso be composed of indium arsenic (InAs). In another example, when thechannel region 9 a, 9 b is composed of silicon germanium (SiGe), thematerial layer for the drain region 11 a, 11 b may also be composed ofsilicon germanium (SiGe). In yet another example, when the channelregion 9 a, 9 b is composed of indium gallium arsenic (InGaAs), thematerial layer for the drain region 11 a, 11 b may also be composed ofindium gallium arsenic (InGaAs). It is noted that the above examples areprovided for illustrative purposes only, and that other type IV and typeIII-V semiconductor materials are equally applicable.

The conductivity type of the material layer for the material layer forthe drain region 11 a, 11 b, i.e., n-type or p-type conductivity, isselected based upon the type of semiconductor device is being formed inthe first and second material stacks 10, 15. In some embodiments, whenthe semiconductor device being formed in the first and second materialstacks 10, 15 is a vertical FinFET, the conductivity type of thematerial layer for the drain region 11 a, 11 b is the same as theconductivity type of the material layers for the source region 7 a′, 7b′, 7 a″, 7 b″. For example, if the material layers for the sourceregion 7 a′, 7 b′, 7 a″, 7 b″ are doped to an n-type conductivity in oneof the first and second material stacks 10, 15, the material layer forthe drain region 11 a, 11 b in that same material stack will also ben-type. In some embodiments, when the semiconductor device being formedin the first and second material stacks 10, 15 is a vertical tunnel FET,the conductivity type of the material layer for the drain region 11 a,11 b will have the opposite conductivity type as the conductivity typeof the material layers for the source region 7 a′, 7 b′, 7 a″, 7 b″. Forexample, if the material layers for the source region 7 a′, 7 b′, 7 a″,7 b″ are doped to an n-type conductivity in one of the first and secondmaterial stacks 10, 15, the material layer for the drain region 11 a, 11b in that same material stack will be p-type.

The material layer for the drain region 11 a, 11 b may be formed usingepitaxial deposition similar to the epitaxial deposition processdescribed above for forming the first portion of the material layer forthe source region 7 a′, 7 b′. Therefore, the above description of theepitaxial deposition process for forming the first portion of thematerial layer for the source region 7 a′, 7 b′ is suitable fordescribing forming the material layer for the drain region 11 a, 11 b.The material layer for the drain region 11 a, 11 b may be doped in situ,by ion implantation or by a combination thereof. In some embodiments,the thickness of the material layer for the drain region 11 a, 11 b mayrange from 10 nm to 100 nm. In other embodiments, the thickness of thematerial layer for the drain region 11 a, 11 b may range from 10 nm to25 nm.

The isolation regions 12 may be formed by etching trenches through thematerial layers of the first and second material stacks 10, 15, and bydepositing dielectric material in the trenches, using a depositionprocess, such as chemical vapor deposition.

FIG. 2 depicts forming a first block mask 13 over the second materialstack 15 and etching through the material layers for the drain region 11a and channel region 9 a of the first material stack 10, which forms atleast the channel region of a vertically orientated semiconductordevice, e.g., vertical FinFET or vertical tunnel FET. The first blockmask 13 may be composed of a photoresist material. More specifically, insome embodiments, forming the first block mask 13 may begin withdepositing a layer of photoresist atop the entire structure depicted inFIG. 1. The photoresist layer is then selectively exposed to light anddeveloped to pattern a block mask protecting the second material stack15, and exposing at least a portion of the first material stack 10 thatis to be etched. The exposed regions of the first material stack 10 arethen etched while the regions underlying the block mask, i.e., thesecond material stack 15, are protected. In some embodiments, a portionof the first block mask 13 is also present over the portion of the firstmaterial stack 10 that provides the drain region 11 a and channel region9 a of the semiconductor device being formed from the first materialstack 10. In other embodiments, after forming the first block mask 13,an etch mask (not shown) separate from the first block mask 13 is formedover the first material stack 10 that provides the drain region 11 a andchannel region 9 a.

In a following process step, the exposed portions of the first materialstack 10 are etched to define the channel region 9 a and the drainregion 11 a. The etch process may be an anisotropic etch, such asreactive ion etch (RIE), laser etching or plasma etching. In oneembodiment, when the material layer for the drain region 11 a and thematerial layer for the channel region 9 a have substantially the samecomposition, a first etch may etch through these layers selectively tothe second portion of the material layer for the source region 7 a″.

FIG. 3 depicts one embodiment of etching the second portion of thematerial layer for the source region 7 a″ with an etch that is selectiveto the underlying semiconductor etch stop layer 8 a. Similar to the etchprocess described with reference to FIG. 2, at this stage of the processflow the first block mask 13 is still present overlying the secondmaterial stack 15. In some embodiments, a photoresist mask may also bepresent atop the drain region 11 a. In other embodiments, the etchprocess for etching the second portion of the material layer for thesource region 7 a″ is selective to the underlying semiconductor etchstop layer 8 a, as well as the drain region 11 a. The second portion ofthe material layer for the source region 7 a″ that remains followingthis etch step provides a source region extension that dictates thejunction overlap, i.e., the degree by which the extension of the sourceregion extends beyond the inside sidewall of the gate sidewall spacertowards the channel region of the device. The depth of the semiconductoretch stop layer 8A dictates junction alignment for the semiconductordevice formed from the first material stack 10. The second portion ofthe material layer for the source region 7 a″ that remains following theetch step depicted in FIG. 3 has a width that is equal to at least thechannel region 9 a of the device. In some embodiments, the etched secondportion of the material layer for the source region 7 a″ has a height H1that is measured from the upper surface of the semiconductor etch stoplayer 8 a that ranges from 5 nm to 30 nm. In another embodiment, theetched second portion of the material layer for the source region 7 a″has a height H1 that is measured from the upper surface of thesemiconductor etch stop layer 8 a that ranges from 5 nm to 10 nm.Following etching of the second portion of the material layer for thesource region 7 a″, the first block mask 13 may be removed. The firstblock mask 13 may be removed using chemical stripping or selectiveetching.

FIG. 4 depicting one embodiment of forming a second block mask 14 overthe first material stack 10 that was etched in the process sequencedescribed with reference to FIG. 3, and etching the second materialstack 15 to form a junction including a source region 7 b′,7 b″, channelregion 9 b and drain region 11 b. Similar to the etching of the firstmaterial stack 10 described with reference to FIG. 3, the depth of thesemiconductor etch stop layer 8 b in the second material stack 15dictates junction alignment for the semiconductor device formed from thesecond material stack 15. The second block mask 14 is similar to thefirst block mask 13 that has been described above with reference to FIG.3. Therefore, the above description of the first block mask 13 depictedin FIG. 3 is suitable for describing one embodiment of a second blockmask, as depicted in FIG. 4. Following formation of the second blockmask 14 protecting the previously patterned first material stack 10, thesecond material stack 15 may be etched to pattern the drain region 11 b,the channel region 9 b and the source region 7 b″. The etch process forpatterning the second material stack 15 is similar to the etch processfor etching the first material stack 10 that has been described withreference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

For example, in some embodiments, a portion of the second block mask 14is also present over the portion of the second material stack 15 thatprovides the drain region 11 b and channel region 9 b of thesemiconductor device being formed from the second material stack 15. Inother embodiments, after forming the second block mask 14, an etch mask(not shown) separate from the second block mask 14 is formed over thesecond material stack 15 that provides the drain region 11 b and channelregion 9 b. Thereafter, the exposed portions of the second materialstack 15 are etched to define the channel region 9 b and the drainregion 11 b using an anisotropic etch, such as reactive ion etch (RIE),laser etching or plasma etching. In one embodiment, when the materiallayer for the drain region 11 b and the material layer for the channelregion 9 b have substantially the same composition, a first etch mayetch through these layers selectively to the second portion of thematerial layer for the source region 7 b″. The method may continue withetching the second portion of the material layer for the source region 7b″ with an etch that is selective to the underlying semiconductor etchstop layer 8 b. The second portion of the material layer for the sourceregion 7 b″ that remains following this etch step provides a sourceregion extension that dictates the junction overlap, i.e., the degree bywhich the extension of the source region extends beyond the insidesidewall of the gate sidewall spacer towards the channel region of thedevice. The depth of the semiconductor etch stop layer 8 b dictatesjunction alignment for the semiconductor device formed from the secondmaterial stack 15. The second portion of the material layer for thesource region 7 b″ that remains following the etch step depicted in FIG.4 has a width that is equal to at least the channel region 9 b of thedevice. In some embodiments, the etched second portion of the materiallayer for the source region 7 b″ has a height H1 that is measured fromthe upper surface of the semiconductor etch stop layer 8 b that rangesfrom 5 nm to 30 nm. In another embodiment, the etched second portion ofthe material layer for the source region 7 b″ has a height that ismeasured from the upper surface of the semiconductor etch stop layer 8 bthat ranges from 5 nm to 10 nm. Following etching of the second portionof the material layer for the source region 7 b″ for the second materialstack 15, the second block mask 14 may be removed. The second block mask14 may be removed using chemical stripping or selective etching.

FIG. 5 depicts forming a first gate sidewall spacer 16 and a gatestructure 17, 18. In some embodiments, the first gate sidewall spacer 16is composed of a low-k dielectric material. As used herein, the term“low-k” denotes a dielectric material having a dielectric constant equalto the dielectric constant of silicon nitride (Si₃N4) or less. The firstlow-k gate sidewall spacer 16 typically have a dielectric constant thatis less than 7.0, e.g., 5.5. In one embodiment, the first low-kdielectric material has a dielectric constant ranging from 3.9 to 6. Inanother embodiment, the first low-k dielectric material has a dielectricconstant less than 3.9. Examples of materials suitable for the firstlow-k dielectric material include diamond like carbon (DLC),organosilicate glass (OSG), fluorine doped silicon dioxide, carbon dopedsilicon dioxide, carbon doped silicon nitride, porous silicon dioxide,porous carbon doped silicon dioxide, boron doped silicon nitride,spin-on organic polymeric dielectrics (e.g., SILK™), spin-on siliconebased polymeric dielectric (e.g., hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) andmethylsilsesquioxane (MSQ), and combinations thereof.

The first low-k spacer material may be blanket deposited on thevertically orientated and horizontally orientated surfaces of the sourceregion 7 a′, 7 b′, the channel region 9 a, 9 b, and the drain region 11a, 11 b using at least one of spin on deposition, chemical vapordeposition (CVD), plasma-assisted CVD, evaporation and chemical solutiondeposition. Following the deposition of the first low-k spacer material,the layer of low-k spacer material may be etched to remove thevertically orientated surfaces that are present on the channel region 9a, 9 b, wherein the horizontally orientated surfaces of the low-k spacermaterial may remain on the horizontal surfaces of the source region 7a′, 7 b′ providing the first gate sidewall spacer 16. A horizontallyorientated portion of the low-k spacer material may also remain on theupper surface of the drain region 11 a, 11 b.

Still referring to FIG. 5, a first interlevel dielectric 19 may beformed that determines the height H2 of the gate structure 17, 18, asmeasured from the sidewall surface of the channel region 9 a, 9 b. Thefirst interlevel dielectric 19 may be composed of any dielectricmaterial, such as an oxide, nitride or oyxnitride material. For example,the first interlevel dielectric 19 may be composed of silicon oxide. Thefirst interlevel dielectric 19 may be formed using deposition and etchprocesses.

The gate structure 17, 18 may be formed in the opening between theinterlevel dielectric 19 and the first and second material stacks 10, 15that have been etched to provide the source region 7 a′, 7 a″, 7 b′, 7b″, the channel region 9 a, 9 b, and the drain regions 11 a, 11 b. Thegate structure 17, 18 may include at least one gate dielectric 17 and atleast one gate electrode 18. The gate dielectric 17 is formed directlyon the first gate sidewall spacer 16 and on the sidewalls of the channelregion 9 a, 9 b. Typically, the gate dielectric 17 is formed using aconformal deposition process. The gate dielectric 17 may be composed ofany dielectric material, such as an oxide, nitride or oxynitridematerial. In some embodiments, the gate dielectric 17 is a high-kdielectric material. As used herein, “high-k” denotes a dielectricmaterial featuring a dielectric constant (k) higher than the dielectricconstant of SiO₂ at room temperature. For example, the gate dielectriclayer 17 may be composed of a high-k oxide such as, for example, HfO₂,ZrO₂, Al₂O₃, TiO₂, La₂O₃, SrTiO₃, LaAlO₃, Y₂O₃ and mixtures thereof.Other examples of high-k dielectric materials for the at least one gatedielectric 17 include hafnium silicate, hafnium silicon oxynitride orcombinations thereof. The gate dielectric 17 may be deposited usingatomic layer deposition (ALD). In other embodiments, the gate dielectric17 may be deposited using chemical vapor deposition methods, such asplasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). In one embodiment,the at least one gate dielectric layer 17 has a thickness ranging fromabout 1.0 nm to about 6.0 nm.

Following formation of the gate dielectric 17, a work function metallayer of the gate conductor 18 may be deposited. The work function metalmay be selected to provide a p-type work function metal layer and ann-type work function metal layer. As used herein, a “p-type workfunction metal layer” is a metal layer that effectuates a p-typethreshold voltage shift. In one embodiment, the work function of thep-type work function metal layer ranges from 4.9 eV to 5.2 eV. As usedherein, “threshold voltage” is the lowest attainable gate voltage thatwill turn on a semiconductor device, e.g., transistor, by making thechannel of the device conductive. The term “p-type threshold voltageshift” as used herein means a shift in the Fermi energy of a p-typesemiconductor device towards a valence band of silicon in the siliconcontaining substrate of the p-type semiconductor device. A “valenceband” is the highest range of electron energies where electrons arenormally present at absolute zero. In one embodiment, the p-type workfunction metal layer may be composed of titanium and theirnitrided/carbide. In one embodiment, the p-type work function metallayer is composed of titanium nitride (TiN). The p-type work functionmetal layer may also be composed of TiAlN, Ru, Pt, Mo, Co and alloys andcombinations thereof.

As used herein, an “n-type work function metal layer” is a metal layerthat effectuates an n-type threshold voltage shift. “N-type thresholdvoltage shift” as used herein means a shift in the Fermi energy of ann-type semiconductor device towards a conduction band of silicon in asilicon-containing substrate of the n-type semiconductor device. The“conduction band” is the lowest lying electron energy band of the dopedmaterial that is not completely filled with electrons. In oneembodiment, the work function of the n-type work function metal layerranges from 4.1 eV to 4.3 eV. In one embodiment, the n-type workfunction metal layer is composed of at least one of TiAl, TaN, TiN, HfN,HfSi, or combinations thereof. A gate electrode portion of the gateconductor 18 may then be formed on the work function metal layer of thegate conductor 18. In various embodiments, the gate electrode is ametal, where the metal may be tungsten (W), tungsten nitride (WN) orcombinations thereof. In one or more embodiments, the gate electrode 18is tungsten (W). The gate electrode may be deposited by CVD, e.g.,plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD).

The material layers for the gate conductor 18 may be deposited usingphysical vapor deposition, such as plating, electroplating, electrolessdeposition, sputtering and combinations thereof. Following deposition ofthe material layers for the gate conductor 18, the material layers forthe gate dielectric 17 and the gate conductor 18 may be etched toprovide the proper height of the gate structure 17, 18, consistent withthe channel region 9 a, 9 b for each of the material stacks 15, 20.

FIG. 6 depicts forming a second gate sidewall spacer 20 and a secondinterlevel dielectric 21 atop the structures depicted in FIG. 5. Similarto the first gate sidewall spacer 16, the second gate sidewall spacer 20may be composed of a low-k dielectric material. The low-k dielectricmaterial for the second gate sidewall spacer 20 may be composed of asame material as the first low-k spacer 16. Therefore, the abovedescription of the dielectric material for the first low-k gate sidewallspacer 16 is suitable for the description of the composition of thesecond low-k gate sidewall spacer 20. For example, the second low-k gatesidewall spacer 20 may be an oxide. The second low-k gate sidewallspacer 20 may be deposited using a chemical vapor deposition process,such as plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). In otherexamples, the second low-k gate sidewall spacer 20 may be depositedusing chemical solution deposition or spin on deposition. The height ofthe material layer for the second low-k gate sidewall spacer 20 may bereduced by etching, such as reactive ion etching (RIE), which may beaided by the presence of an etch mask, such as a photoresist mask.

In a following process step, a second interlevel dielectric 21 may bedeposited and planarized. The second interlevel dielectric 21 may becomposed of any dielectric material used in microelectronic andnanoelectronic structures, which can include SiO₂, Si₃N₄, SiO_(x)N_(y),SiC, SiCO, SiCOH, and SiCH compounds, the above-mentioned siliconcontaining materials with some or all of the Si replaced by Ge, carbondoped oxides, inorganic oxides, inorganic polymers, hybrid polymers,organic polymers such as polyamides or SiLK™, other carbon containingmaterials, organo-inorganic materials such as spin-on glasses andsilsesquioxane-based materials, and diamond-like carbon (DLC), alsoknown as amorphous hydrogenated carbon, α-C:H). Additional choices forthe interlevel dielectric layer 21 include any of the aforementionedmaterials in porous form, or in a form that changes during processing toor from being porous and/or permeable to being non-porous and/ornon-permeable. The second interlevel dielectric layer 21 may bedeposited using chemical vapor deposition, deposition from solution,spin on deposition and combinations thereof. The planarization processapplied to the interlevel dielectric 21 following its deposition may bechemical mechanical planarization.

FIG. 7 depicts forming interconnect 22 to the semiconductor devicesformed from the first and second material stacks. The interconnect 22may be produce by forming a via opening through the second interleveldielectric 21, the second gate sidewall spacer 20, and the firstinterlevel dielectric 19; and filling the via opening with anelectrically conductive material. The via opening may be formed usingphotolithography and etch processes. For example, a photoresist mask maybe formed exposing the portion of the dielectric material layers inwhich the via opening is to be formed, wherein following formation ofthe photoresist mask, the via opening may be etched into the interleveldielectric using an etch process, such as reactive ion etch. The viaopening may be filled with a doped semiconductor material, such asn-type doped polysilicon, or a metal, such as copper, aluminum,titanium, tungsten, platinum or combinations thereof, to form theinterconnects 22. The electrically conductive material may be depositedinto the via opening using physical vapor deposition (PVD). Examples ofPVD processes suitable for depositing the metal for the interconnects 22include plating, electroplating, electroless plating, sputtering andcombinations thereof.

In some embodiments, the method described with reference to FIGS. 1-7can provide a vertical semiconductor device 100, e.g., vertical finfield effect transistor (vertical FinFET) and/or vertical tunnel fieldeffect transistor (vertical tunnel FET). The semiconductor device mayinclude a first of a source region and a drain region comprised of afirst semiconductor material 7 a′, 7 a″, 7 b′, 7 b″, and an etch stoplayer 8 a, 8 b of a second semiconductor material present within thefirst of the source region and the drain region 7 a′, 7 a″, 7 b′, 7 b″.A channel semiconductor material 9 a, 9 b is present atop the first ofthe source region and the drain region 7 a′, 7 a″, 7 b′, 7 b″, and asecond of the source and the drain region 11 a, 11 b is present atop thechannel semiconductor material 9 a, 9 b. In some embodiments, when thefirst semiconductor material 7 a′, 7 a″, 7 b′, 7 b″ is composed ofindium gallium arsenic (InGaAs), gallium antimony (GaSb) or indiumarsenic (InAs), the etch stop layer 8 a, 8 b may be composed of indiumphosphide (InP). In some embodiments, when the first semiconductormaterial 7 a′, 7 a″, 7 b′, 7 b″ is composed of silicon germanium (SiGe),the etch stop layer 8 a, 8 b may be composed of silicon (Si).

Having described preferred embodiments of vertical transistorfabrication and devices (which are intended to be illustrative and notlimiting), it is noted that modifications and variations can be made bypersons skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. It istherefore to be understood that changes may be made in the particularembodiments disclosed which are within the scope of the invention asoutlined by the appended claims. Having thus described aspects of theinvention, with the details and particularity required by the patentlaws, what is claimed and desired protected by Letters Patent is setforth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A semiconductor device comprising: a first sourceregion and a first drain region made of a first semiconductor material,wherein the first source region has an upper portion and a lowerportion; an etch stop layer made of a second semiconductor materialdifferent from the first semiconductor material between the upperportion and the lower portion of the first source region; and a channelsemiconductor material on an upper surface of the upper portion of thefirst source region, wherein the first drain region is on the channelsemiconductor material.
 2. The semiconductor device of claim 1, whereinthe etch stop layer comprises indium and phosphorus.
 3. Thesemiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the first semiconductormaterial comprises a type III-V semiconductor material.
 4. Thesemiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the first source region and thefirst drain region are doped to a same conductivity type.
 5. Thesemiconductor device of claim 4, wherein the semiconductor device is avertically orientated fin field effect transistor.
 6. The semiconductordevice of claim 1, wherein the first source region and the first drainregion are doped to an opposite conductivity type.
 7. The semiconductordevice of claim 6, wherein the semiconductor device is a verticallyorientated tunnel field effect transistor.
 8. The semiconductor deviceof claim 1, wherein the lower portion of the first source region is on astrain relaxed buffer layer.
 9. A semiconductor device comprising: afirst source region and a first drain region made of a firstsemiconductor material, wherein the first source region has an upperportion and a lower portion; an etch stop layer made of a secondsemiconductor material different from the first semiconductor materialbetween the upper portion and the lower portion of the first sourceregion; and a channel semiconductor material on an upper surface of theupper portion of the first source region, wherein the first drain regionis on the channel semiconductor material wherein the channelsemiconductor material is a vertically orientated fin structure.
 10. Thesemiconductor device of claim 9, wherein the first semiconductormaterial is silicon-germanium (SiGe) and the etch stop layer is silicon(Si).
 11. The semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein the etch stoplayer is indium phosphide (InP).
 12. The semiconductor device of claim9, wherein the first source region and the first drain region are dopedto a same conductivity type.
 13. The semiconductor device of claim 9,wherein the first source region and the first drain region are doped toan opposite conductivity type.
 14. The semiconductor device of claim 9,wherein the first source region is on a strain relaxed buffer layer. 15.A semiconductor device comprising: a first source region and a firstdrain region made of a first semiconductor material atop a strainrelaxed buffer layer, wherein the first source region has an upperportion and a lower portion; a semiconductor etch stop layer made of asecond semiconductor material different from the first semiconductormaterial on the lower portion of the first source region, and the upperportion of the first source region on an upper surface of thesemiconductor etch stop layer; a channel semiconductor material on theupper portion of the first source region, the channel semiconductormaterial configured as a vertically orientated fin structure; and thefirst drain region on the vertically orientated fin structure.
 16. Thesemiconductor device of claim 15, wherein the first semiconductormaterial is selected from the group of semiconductor materialsconsisting of indium gallium arsenic (InGaAs), gallium antimony (GaSb),and indium arsenic (InAs), and the etch stop layer is indium phosphide(InP).
 17. The semiconductor device of claim 15, wherein the firstsemiconductor material is silicon-germanium (SiGe) and the etch stoplayer is silicon (Si).
 18. The semiconductor device of claim 15, whereinthe first source region and the first drain region are doped to a sameconductivity type.
 19. The semiconductor device of claim 15, wherein thefirst source region and the first drain region are doped to an oppositeconductivity type.
 20. The semiconductor device of claim 15, wherein thefirst semiconductor material is a type III-V semiconductor material.